R. Kelly Detained Over $161,000 Unpaid Child Support

Authorities say R&B singer R. Kelly was taken into custody during a hearing in Chicago over more than $161,000 in back child support owed to his ex-wife.

Kelly left the courtroom with his lawyers on Wednesday (March 6) through a different door than he had entered. His hands weren’t cuffed.

Cook County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Sophia Ansari says Kelly was taken into custody and will be transferred to the county jail. She says she doesn’t know the reason he was taken into custody, including whether it had to do with unpaid child support he owes.

Kelly will be transported to Cook County Jail later Wednesday and will not be realeased until he pays the child support due. His next court date on the child support matter is March 13.

Kelly’s publicist, Darrell Johnson, says Kelly came to the hearing prepared to pay $50,000 to $60,000, but the judge wanted the whole amount. He says Kelly didn’t have the whole amount because he hasn’t been able to work.

Kelly was charged last month with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving four women, including three who were underage at the time the abuse is alleged to have occurred. He spent a weekend in jail before someone posted his $100,000 bail, and his defense attorney said at the time that Kelly’s finances were “a mess.”